Special Ed. Pupils Find Learning Tool in iPad Application:
Five Most Interesting Key Concepts
Sloane is able to be more socially accepted with the use of the iPad because she is able to communicate effectively about fun things she has done, and hold a conversation with her peers.
The touch screen makes the device a lot more user friendly for students who have trouble with motor skills, it replaces the bulky old technology and is easier to navigate than a traditional mouse or laptop. Also, for children with vision problems, the large size of the screen and its contents is very easy to see.
It gives the students a sense of independence that many of them may not have experienced before, they are able to find the information on their own which makes them retain it more efficiently.
The iPad is also being used to teach the students life skills as well as for pure educational purposes. They can be used to order food at a restaurant, set timers to remember important events throughout the day, and to buy things at the grocery store.
Since the iPads have been so successful with special education students, Apple has created a specific page in its app store to display all of the apps useful to them.
Three Questions or Ideas to Pursue
Would it be more effective for schools to buy cheaper tablets for the students with the same capabilities as the iPad because of the vast cost of them?
A very important thing to keep in mind is that by using this type of technology with special education students, you are giving them a chance to interact with their peers because the other students will want to know about the device they are using, and they may even envy not being able to use it themselves, therefore giving that student positive attention that they may not have gotten before.
iPad as a Mobile Classroom and the Newest Tool for Special Education Teachers:
Five Most Interesting Key Concepts
Since the 2000’s, schools have introduced a mobile computer lab with enough laptops on it to supply one to every student in the class, this saved the school the expense of having to build a full computer lab.
Now with the new introduction of the iPad, teachers will be able to provide the students with their own iPad, they will have a projector, and a MacBook in which all of the devices can be synced with.
Teachers will be able to put custom applications on to accompany textbooks, as well as iTunes, access to the web, word processing and other great features that the students will have access to with the click of a button.
One unforeseen benefit that is seen with the iPad is the “cool factor.” Its sleek design, applications, interface, and size all make it more appealing to kids and help engage them more than an old fashioned device would.
The iPad has the ability to make learning fun again!
Three Questions or Ideas to Pursue
The iPad gives special education students the ability to keep up in class, and will significantly raise their ability levels in the general education classroom.
It is important to keep in mind that the mobile classroom will be easier to keep up because these devices are much more lightweight and portable than normal laptops.
I f students were able to read all of their textbooks from the iPad as opposed to big bulky books, how would that affect their learning?
Apple in Education: Useful to Everyone. Right from the Start:
Five Most Interesting Key Concepts
Every Mac provides tools that help students get organized, stay focused, and improve reading comprehension.
It comes equipped with a screen reader, magnification tools, and sound enhancement to help students with vision or hearing impairments.
For students with cognitive disablilities, they are able to use the text to speech option which can read aloud a section of text or a whole book.
Students with vision problems can hear a full voice over of what is on the screen in front of them and control the computer using only the keyboard.
If you use the automator feature, tasks that may usually be hard for a student can be saved the first time they are done and completed again with just one simple click.
Three Questions or Ideas to Pursue
What could be some potential drawbacks of all the technology that Macs and iPads provide?
How feasible is it to use a lot of class time teaching students how to use all of these advanced features?
If the students aren’t taught adequately how to use all of the features, what is the point of having the technology if they don’t know how to fully take advantage of it?
2011: The Year of the Media Tablet as a Learning Tool:
Five Most Interesting Key Concepts
Sales from media tablets are expected to increase from 19.5 million to 208 million by 2014, due to the high demand for them in education, recreation, and the workplace.
Universities and school districts across the country have either begun programs or applied for grants to provide iPads to students and teachers.
Media tablets are the best way to transfer learning so that it is mobile, engaging, and fun.
The iPad is portable and very intuitive, therefore it is paving the way for companies to use it as a reference tool.
They can be used to get quick feedback, thus making the annual performance review a thing of the past.
Three Questions or Ideas to Pursue
With the growing number of tablets being used in the business world today, how will we be able to monitor what they are used for in regards to recreational purposes?
Will the media tablet eventually replace the computer and laptops in the technology world?
Media tablets are much more portable and easy to use than an old fashioned computer, allowing people to take their work with them on the go.
Universal Design for Learning: A guide for teachers and educated professionals.
Chapter 1: Question 1 Try This
The assistive technology that is being used in today’s classrooms is universally designed, and specifically, the iPad is a “universally designed feature for learning.” This device provides thousands of tools to help improve the learning of all students, whether they are disabled or not fluent in our language, etc.
One of the main ways that the iPad is universally designed is because you have the use of the App store; you can download virtually any app to help assist students with different learning styles and abilities. For example, you can download an app called Proloquo2go for a child with autism. This app allows the student to scroll through phrases and sentences that are used often and choose the ones they want to have the computer speak out loud for the student. This can be a great help for students with communication problems, because it will help them be more social with others, as well as feeling more independent. Another example of how the iPad is universally designed is that it has a full touch screen with large images and very clear resolution. This helps students with problems in motor skills as well as vision problems. If a student has trouble using a traditional mouse or clicking on a laptop, the touch screen of the iPad can be an easy way for them to effectively complete the task with just the touch of a finger. Also, the iPad helps students with vision problems because an App can be downloaded that will translate brail to English for students who are blind. They are then able to use the iPad as their textbook, which is a quicker and less costly way to learn. Another way the iPad helps students with vision problems is by having a magnification setting, children who have bad eyesight are able to zoom the device in as much as they need to so they are able to read easily. There are also many apps that are fun for children who have trouble getting engaged in what they are learning. Games can be downloaded that are educational yet entertaining at the same time.
Another thing that makes the iPad a “universally designed feature for learning,” is the fact that it can be personalized to each individual student’s needs and preferences. If a student has a certain disability, the apps and software can be downloaded once to the device and every time they go back onto it, the same things will already be saved for them. This will help them greatly in the general education classroom. It also serves as a tool to make the student become more involved with their peers. Many students will find the device cool and they will want to go by the student who has it. This will give that student more interaction. Also, the student will feel more independent when they are able to do things on their own using the iPad, and therefore this will boost their confidence greatly, while improving their social skills.
Reading Journal Entry 1
Special Ed. Pupils Find Learning Tool in iPad Application:
iPad as a Mobile Classroom and the Newest Tool for Special Education Teachers:
Apple in Education: Useful to Everyone. Right from the Start:
2011: The Year of the Media Tablet as a Learning Tool:
Universal Design for Learning: A guide for teachers and educated professionals.
Chapter 1: Question 1 Try This
The assistive technology that is being used in today’s classrooms is universally designed, and specifically, the iPad is a “universally designed feature for learning.” This device provides thousands of tools to help improve the learning of all students, whether they are disabled or not fluent in our language, etc.
One of the main ways that the iPad is universally designed is because you have the use of the App store; you can download virtually any app to help assist students with different learning styles and abilities. For example, you can download an app called Proloquo2go for a child with autism. This app allows the student to scroll through phrases and sentences that are used often and choose the ones they want to have the computer speak out loud for the student. This can be a great help for students with communication problems, because it will help them be more social with others, as well as feeling more independent. Another example of how the iPad is universally designed is that it has a full touch screen with large images and very clear resolution. This helps students with problems in motor skills as well as vision problems. If a student has trouble using a traditional mouse or clicking on a laptop, the touch screen of the iPad can be an easy way for them to effectively complete the task with just the touch of a finger. Also, the iPad helps students with vision problems because an App can be downloaded that will translate brail to English for students who are blind. They are then able to use the iPad as their textbook, which is a quicker and less costly way to learn. Another way the iPad helps students with vision problems is by having a magnification setting, children who have bad eyesight are able to zoom the device in as much as they need to so they are able to read easily. There are also many apps that are fun for children who have trouble getting engaged in what they are learning. Games can be downloaded that are educational yet entertaining at the same time.
Another thing that makes the iPad a “universally designed feature for learning,” is the fact that it can be personalized to each individual student’s needs and preferences. If a student has a certain disability, the apps and software can be downloaded once to the device and every time they go back onto it, the same things will already be saved for them. This will help them greatly in the general education classroom. It also serves as a tool to make the student become more involved with their peers. Many students will find the device cool and they will want to go by the student who has it. This will give that student more interaction. Also, the student will feel more independent when they are able to do things on their own using the iPad, and therefore this will boost their confidence greatly, while improving their social skills.